RiderSite.com - Motorcycle Forums

Thought better start the bike up,Aint even been near it for around 6 weeks.
Fired up fist time my duke would never of done that

As long as the battery is OK they always do that. Well mine has over the 4 1/2 years I've had it. Had a few problems with the battery being low on charge before I used a trickle charger, but perfect since.
I have never known a bike as reliable to start.
My old CBR1000 never starts as well (on carbs), always keeps me waiting for a while, unless it has been regularly run, even with a new battery also on a trickle charger.

My Beast generally starts first time but in this weather the clocks go back to KPH so I think I need a new battery

Hi EdinburghFalco, Try an Optimate before you buy a new battery.
They condition the battery and if you plug in after each ride and leave it on, you should have no problems.
Or even turn it on the day before you want to go out, it still works, if you remember.

Unfortunately I don't have a garage so the optimate isn't an option

Just got mine Wrapped in a cosy oxford stormex on my drive.
The clock was flashing 00:00 but still fired up no problem

Mine lives under the very same

Really impressed with the cover,no matter what the weather never any condensation on the bike or looking damp.

Yip the cover is A1 but after saying mine starts the bugger wouldn't this morning, battery now charging!

...the day after I bought mine from a dealer last February, after a night in a cozy garage, it wouldn't start. Thing is ready-wired for optimate but my garage doesn't have electricity. The dealer put a new battery in for free, but still during the winter, if left for more than 24hrs it won't start. Frustrated beyond belief, I bought a £40 booster (jump start in a box) which I'm philosophical about when I have to use it: whip off seat, connect terminals and ready to go. At school (my work) I've got jumper cables in my classroom cupboard and my colleagues have enough sense of humour to put up with my request for car keys because if the Falco suffers a drizzly cold day the recalcitrant bitch will tell me to fuggoff she's got a headache when I try to get my leg over at hometime.
The most reliable starting bike I've owned was a '98 Honda Firestorm. In three years, with no idea of the battery condition, living outside uncovered in all weather it never let me down. Once during a freezing february half-term I left it for two or three days covered at times in frost and it still started first or second pop.

Don't get me wrong, while I'm nostalgic about the Firestorm, I do love lots of things about the Falco. However despite my aforementioned 'philosophical' attitude to its starting foibles, wondering if I'm going to have to piss around with the booster of a cold morning, or jumper cables after a long cold day parked at school does take some of the gloss off.

If it was still doing this after a new battery was fitted, I think there are some other factors affecting this.
Make sure all connectors in the path between battery and starter motor have clean contacts and those contacts are tight (including those on the battery and starter motor itself).
Also suspect the starter relay switching contacts as being oxidised.
You can get the oxide off - I did describe how I did it once - but probably the least hassle method is to replace it with one of these.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Starter-Motor-Rel ... 240%3A1318

Oh yes, another thing to check is that the contacts of your brown multi-way connector are clean - if not you won't be charging properly.

Hope this helps to stop your Falco from being a figure of fun in the staff room.

Would totally agree with Andy, you should not have problems like that with a new battery, it has got be down to something else, and would agree with his suggestions.
With a decent battery and everything else as it should be, Falcos always start well, almost always first time.
All the problems come with a battery that is well below 100%.
Started mine for the first time for a few weeks today, (I do use a battery conditioner), but it's always great when it fires first turn, it's as if it can't wait to get out for a run, and mine got the chance today.
Only about 60 miles or so but really enjoyed it.

D-Rider wrote:If it was still doing this after a new battery was fitted, I think there are some other factors affecting this.
Make sure all connectors in the path between battery and starter motor have clean contacts and those contacts are tight (including those on the battery and starter motor itself).
Also suspect the starter relay switching contacts as being oxidised.
You can get the oxide off - I did describe how I did it once - but probably the least hassle method is to replace it with one of these.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Starter-Motor-Rel ... 240%3A1318

Oh yes, another thing to check is that the contacts of your brown multi-way connector are clean - if not you won't be charging properly.

Hope this helps to stop your Falco from being a figure of fun in the staff room.

... thanks for the tip on the relay D-r . Though I did yank the battery after buying a £40 optmiser charger thingy, charged the battery, and my booster, even with a car jump start, it wouldn't go: clickety click went the solenoid A mile or so push to my spanner monkeys , and an hour of investigative labour on their part and yuppers, starter relay stuffed. One of your aftermarket jobbies subsequently ordered. What a waste of three days Maybe this is the end of my 'cold' start woes.

My 2 cents. For those like me who cant use an optimiser (My garage is 50 yards from the house - no power) buy a solar charger. I think oxford makes it. It works a charm keeping the battery topped up. I can now not toutch the bike for a month and will still start without resetting the dash etc. Worth every penny (about 20 quid)
Bought it couple of weeks ago after passing driving test (the cars much warmer and drier than the 'prilla)

This really interesting never seen it before, how long are the leads and do the solar panels have to be placed on a flat surface facing upwards. My beast sits in the path behind the house with just a fence beside it, wondering how I might fix this. Anyway thanks for the info!